The 4-Hour Workweek Paperback – January 1, 2010

This is an amazing book. I've now read it through five times, and am now using it as a reference for the new business that I've launched using the principles that Tim Ferris clearly provides. But it's more than principles, since Tim provides reference sites, excellent pragmatic suggestions for growing a new business, and guidance on how to make intelligent and practical decisions along the way.But he doesn't insist on being an entrepreneur, although he clearly prefers it! He makes excellent suggestions on how to better manage time as an employee, how to provide more value to your employer while also enabling an employee to have a more meaningful and relaxed way to handle the job.My first "read" was to determine if his "pitch", principles and suggestions were ones I could buy into. I bought into it instantly, since he pointed out clearly where many businesses and people fail, and I found myself in those examples, and came away knowing I had found an author I could synch up with.My second "read" was to clearly understand the architecture, processes and steps needed to make a business profitable, cost-effective, satisfying and to succeed. I adopted and understand, and agree with his practical approach to getting customers, managing growth, and maintaining control of the business, rather than the business dominating yours.The third "read" was to apply the concepts to a couple of business ideas, and to apply it in context. I followed the "muse" finding processes for two concepts/ideas, but only to a limited point.I then sat back and reviewed the output of Tim's suggestion to map out and write all the things you're good at, to try and identify that product or services that is the "right" one. I used the context of the 4HWW to consider the question "What am I already a guru at?". And I figured it out.So I'm now in my "fourth read and reference", applying specific sections, tools, processes and reference websites that I'm finding a great help in launching a new business. I have launched in an incredible two weeks from the confirmation of the concept to launch. During those two weeks, I created a conceptual framework plan, acquired a partner, solidified the concept and plan, built a 5-year cash flow and P&L projections, and a plan for building a $10M company in five years. Started the business, and already have one customer, am building the standard operating procedures (SOPs) as we go, to serve as training material for the network of "agents" that will allow me the freedom of income that Tim proposes. The website is up, we have a Facebook page for the business, and I have positive feedback from a couple of potential investors, if I need them (but I think I can bootstrap it all the way up with cash from sales - that's the plan!).Many reviewers seem to think it's "old stuff" that Tim has captured, and that it's not real, but full of platitudes. I could not disagree more.It's a GREAT book, if you read it with an open mind, a hungry attitude, and a willingness to read it through and buy into the concepts a bit more each time. It may change your life. It's certainly been a catalyst for changing mine.

Book quotes lots of links that don't exist now. However, remember take the concepts and get the big picture! This book was truly thought provoking and inspirational! I don't share the digital nomad goal but his approach to finding and testing concepts is brilliant. I highly recommend this book and wish he would update it but I feel it was a once in time brilliant lighting strike that gave the world this gem of knowledge!

This is not a "get rich quick" book, it may however teach you some very viable options for replacing you current income with something that earns the same but takes less time OR it may teach you to operate at your current job so efficiently that you find yourself doing 10 hours for your salary instead of 40 hours. If you learn either of those skills, this book will teach you how to get solidly on that new track in several months instead of a 20 year career. The math and examples are from 2006 thru 2009-ish and so need adjusting for inflation today but still have all the same effect.Some of my further comments are mostly because several christian friends i have loaned this book to, take issue with the author, his personality and his life outlook and miss the whole point (and benefit) of the book. Also, it is definitely "PG rated" as far as language and content.Look, Tim Ferris is not a saint, and he has a world view that is fairly devoted to "self fulfillment" as a life purpose which is only symptomatic of western society [awesome] absent of Jesus [not awesome] BUT...THIS BOOK can benefit anybody! He is literally handing you a toolbox to apply to life that can unlock massive quantities of time, effort and frustration that you have been wasting. Whether you have a life goal focused on release from the constraints of your current work environment to seek "self fulfillment", or you desire to increase your time and resources to pour into others, it does not matter. It will take the same toolbox to do either. Ignore whether or not you "agree" with or even "like" the author and his particular attitudes and just extract the wealth of information.Again i stress, take the tools! they will change your life, your thinking and your output. I would compare it to building a house; can you do it with just a hand saw, some nails and a hammer? YES! but it is gonna suck and take a very long time. Tim basically says, "use the screws, staples, brackets, power tools, heavy machinery, hired labor, measuring tape and maybe even blueprints! Finish the house before you are old and start LIVING in it, instead of hacking and pounding away with the saw and hammer for the next 20 years to move into a pretty crappy house in the end." Metaphors break down if you take them too far but hopefully you see the use of having all the tools over just the bare minimum. And trust me, after you read this book you will realize, you have been working with the "minimum" tool set for a very long time.

I have done the whole living in other countries thing as he has, and for anyone who has not done it, his travel ideas are definitely worthwhile. It definitely changes your perspective. I am planning to try and implement some of his suggestions regarding my businesses, although one of them is in the service area and many of his ideas are not applicable in that area. I do agree with D for defining goals, E for eliminating time killers that don't add to the bottom line, A for automation and L for liberation (travelling and not being tied to the office). Some of his ideas are a little shady, but no worse than your average legal maneuver. When I told my husband how he won the kickboxing championship, my husband said "He cheated!" I don't think he cheated, but I think it says more about having an ability to see loopholes and take advantage of them, than having a prize winning athletic ability. I also have an issue with calling himself an applied linguist, since I think that is overstating the hobby of travelling and learning languages. But, in case I am sounding overcritical, I do believe that there are some useful ideas that I can apply to my businesses and today we need every single advantage we can get. If we take some of the ideas, we may not be working a four hour work week, but it definitely will be shorter than what we are currently working and that is a good thing to me.

Great reading and resources.

This has to be one of the most astonishing books I have ever read. I couldn't put it down, and read it a second time immediately after finishing it the first.Purely as an entertaining explanation of how a person could change their life and escape the drudgery that has afflicted most of the modern world, this book is worth every penny. However, if you read it like that, you've missed the point...If you read this book with an open mind, it can change YOUR life! You will read it and find all sorts of excuses why you couldn't do what he describes, but if you are honest (and read his pre-emptive responses), you'll realise that these are nothing more than excuses.Even if you don't go the full way, you can grab plenty of life-changing tips from this book.Compelling reading, highly recommended.

自分の人生を設計すること。まともに遊べなくなったころにリタイアできてどうすんの？early retirement じゃなくて mini-retirement を。資産の絶対額じゃなくて、時間と空間の自由を。そういう人生を設計するためにサラリーマンでも起業家でもできることを具体例をまじえて非常に詳細に説明しています。ひさしぶりにツボにはまりました。最初の５０ページか１００ページだけでもいいです。後半は細かいノウハウがぎっしりだけど、当然のことながら英語圏向けで、日本でどのぐらい役に立つかは正直よくわかりません。でもそんなことは細かいことだと思えるぐらい強烈なインパクトがある本です。

This book has literally changed my outlook in life. My difficulty is still the "muse" part, and can't seem to launch or engage myself properly. It is not easy. But for other things such as mini-retirements and relocating to cut living costs and other lifestyle changes, this book is the roadmap to a new outlook in life :)

I resisted buying this book for a long time. I don't know why, but something in the description never seemed to appeal. Fortunately, I attended an event where I was able to flick through and where the presenter recommended it so I went ahead and purchased. I can honestly say that it has made a big difference to how I work and I have made adjustments to my future plans as a result.One of the best things about this is that I identify with the author as he seems to get bored and want to move onto new things regularly, yet he has still managed to achieve great things in spite of this trait. As such, he is an inspiration.I didn't want to reach the end as it is such a good book, but there is so much in there that it's not one to end up residing on the shelf. It remains by my bedside and is revisited frequently. The summaries and unusual exercises at the end of each chapter are really great.